


The Fine Line

by Lovesikk



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual, Drama & Romance, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Lesbian, One-Sided Attraction, V wants Panam, Yearning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:15:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28423818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lovesikk/pseuds/Lovesikk
Summary: Basically a flash back session for V as she thinks about Panam.
Relationships: Panam Palmer/Female V
Kudos: 35





	The Fine Line

V was up in her apartment, glancing out the open window, eyes fixated on the bustling street below. 

While her thoughts swirled around in her head.

_Panam Palmer._

The name left an imprint on her more than she preferred.   
  


It brought a _fuzzy_ feeling to her chest. And made her brain short circuit. _Lose_ all type of rational thinking when it came to the woman. She was like a dog fetching a bone.   
  


She thought back to when she first went to The Afterlife. Johnny urging her to meet with Rogue.   
  


The loud music blaring on speakers. Bright neon lights lined all around the whole bar.   
  


Claire had called out to her. Offering her a shot.   
  


Which of course V didn’t refuse.   
  


They spoke for a little and caught up about life after V had helped her with her street races.   
And V said her goodbyes and headed to the booth that Rogue was located. A tall, sturdy man standing guard in front.   
  


“No. This trouble, the net around me - **you** wove it. You _**know**_ it, I lost _everything_. Through you-“ 

The dread head woman snapped. She was a like a ball of fire. Spewing out scorching insults to Rogue who quickly fanned out the flames with her own cold.   
  


Cutting the woman off, the woman V assumed was Rogue deadpanned.   
  


“Lemme plain. **_Again_**. Solve your own problems, clean up your shit.”   
  


There was no way to argue with that, especially when the woman looked like she was on her own. Just like V was.   
  


“Do you know what, Rogue? Go _**fuck**_ yourself.”

The woman stormed away in V’s direction, who had become an unwilling spectator of their conversation, something she _-at the time-_ didn’t care much for. This was how Night City worked.   
  


People got fucked over all the time.   
  


She walked by V scoffing.   
  


“Be careful who you _**bargain**_ with.” There was a lot of venom in her voice as she walked off. 

  
V blinked before she turned to Rogue who waved the manner off like it was a speck of dirt on her shoe.   
  


Her groupies took up the other side of the booth. All eyes were on her.

“Rogue? Wanted to talk.” V raised her hand up to try and grab the woman’s attention.

The guard glared at her before Rogue gave approval. “It’s ok.”   
He moved back, granting V passage to the seat next to Rogue.   
  


“Hm. Not here,not there. Who’re you?”

She turned her body and crosses her leg in V’s

direction who straightens up at the question. 

“Name’s V.”   
  
Rogue raised her hands in the air exasperatingly like she’d dealt with _numerous_ coming to introduce themselves and bother her.   
  


“And what is it you want, _V_?   
  


Johnny popped up behind Rogue. Crouching on the couch.   
  


_“All these years..it’s really her. Fuckin’ Rogue, just kickin’ it back on a couch at the Afterlife. Don’t mess with ‘er. She’s got MR-eyes. See right through you. Give ‘er the truth.”_

He warned.

V thought about asking about what the gripe was with the previous woman, she quickly shook the thought off when she thought about how straight to the point Rogue was.  
  


“Need your services. Gotta track a guy down.”

“Mhm?” Rogue arched a brow as if giving a go for V to explain more.

”Anders Hellman. Hot-shot engineer. Worked for Arasaka.”

Her eyes turned red as she responded. “Millisec. Anders Hellman. Pinpoint him for me?”

Couple seconds passed and Rogue turned to look at V once again, eyes reverting to their original color.   
  


“Huh, thanks.”

Maybe she was too quick to thank the woman.

Rogue hunched over, resting her elbows on her knees as she spoke.

“Jumpin’ too soon. First, my help’s got a price. Second, and third- Dexter Deshawn, Jackie Welles, T-Bug. Multiple bells ringin’ V. Left a lot of bodies behind, death walks in your wake. Chalk that up to bad luck?” 

V bit her tongue as she heard the statement.   
  


_“Theeere’s the bitch I know...ask her about how ‘Saka Tower. How they shot me up right in front of her.”_ Johnny smirked.

  
She answered back.   
  


“They knew the risks. All sorts of shit happens-to all sorts of people. Even to the best. To you too, Rogue. Arasaka Tower-‘member? Who’d you lose back then? Johnny somethin’...” 

Rogue leaned back against the couch in her original position. A bit impressed by the statement.   
  


“Ah, you came prepped. ‘Course. Anyways...feelings be _damned_. I’ve always said. This is pure biz. _You_ need my help, so get those eddies _**ready**_.   
  


Johnny nodded his head. _“Mhm, see?”_

”Should be enough.”

V wired the money to Rogue. A whole whopping 15,000 of eddies.”

“Mhm. Come back tomorrow we’ll talk.”

That prompted the end of the conversation, V understood when she wasn’t needed anymore. So she turned and headed off to do some more side gigs and make extra eddies after dropping a big amount.   
  


And then it was 3 AM and V find herself clamoring into bed. Falling asleep.

——————————————

She woke up groggily and headed back to the Afterlife.   
  
The guard from last night sized her up and down. Something she didn’t like.

“Here to see Rogue. Expectin’ me.” Tilting her head up cockily.   
  


He moved out the way, snorting and V walked up to Rogue who was conversing with a lady on the couch.   
  


“Hey, Rogue. I’m back. What about Hellman?”

She turned and faced V. Claire walking nearby.  
  


“Two please.” Raising two fingers towards Claire and then looking at the man next to her.   
  
“Make some room.” She commanded.   
  


He scooted over.   
  


“Siddown.” Her hand motioned to the open space on the couch next to her.   
  


“Hope you found him.” V sighed as she sat down. It felt like it was a race against time. She was in a rush to figure out how to get to the bottom of whatever was turning her brain to chum.

She remembered how frazzled she was at the time.   
  


“Don’t see that often, determination like yours. Must _really_ , need this guy.” Johnny materialized behind her, leaning on the small table.   
  


“Matter of life and death.” V replied.

”Heh. Haven’t heard that for a while, either.”   
  
  


Claire walks into the booth, setting the two glasses of liquor down. And just as she was about to leave with the bottle, Rogue states.

”Bottle stays.” Prompting the woman to set the bottle down the table before making her way out.   
  


Rogue grabs the glass closer to her, looking at V.

”Go ahead, enjoy.”

V shrugs. “To your health.” She chugs the shot.

”To _YOURS_ , kid. Gonna need it.”   
  


One of her men walks up, sliding a tiny box across the table. And in it was a shard that Rogue inserted in her head while expressing thanks to the man.   
  


“Thanks, Nix.”   
  


_“Queen of the Afterlife. Who woulda thunk..”_ Johnny said. 

“Got a shard for you-intel, interesting stuff.”   
  
V took the shard and inserted it into her port.   
  


“Let’s see what you got.”

It was chalked up to an AV that pushes cargo was actually holding someone important- _Hellman_.

And V would have to grab the man on the protected AV in the Narrow Plains. A _golden_ opportunity.   
  


“Gonna need a native to the area, someone who’ll set up the op, cobble together the gear.”

V sure as hell didn’t know anybody, nomad life was in the past now.   
  


“So, a native. Kno any hick mercs?”

Rogue smirked.   
  


“Just one. Panam Palmer. She can’t count on her clan anymore, but she’s a true nomad. She knows those lands. And she will help you. _Won’t_ have a choice.”

V raised an eyebrow. “ _ **Won’t have a choice?**_ Does not sound enticing-not for her, not for me.”   
  


“Enticing comes at a price you can’t possibly afford.”

”Can’t possibly afford to blow this chance at nabbing Hellman.”   
  


Rogue shrugged.   
  


“ _Your_ operation. _Your_ call.” As if now it was up to V how she would handle this.   
  


“ _Got a bad feeling about this.._ ” Johnny frowned.

She didn’t bother to prod into why Panam was an outcast. Not that she cared at the time. She needed Hellman.   
  


“Why’s Panam gotta help me? I sense a catch. Pretty big one.” V crossed her arms.   
  


“Occasionally, Panam moves merch for me. Last job...well, wasn’t a good day for her.” Rogue scoffed.   
  


“She run into a hitch?”   
  


“Complete bust, actually. Lost the goods and her ride. Panam’ll do _**anything**_ to get the load back. Means her _dignity_ -I know her.”   
  


The merc shrugged. Not like she has any other leads as of now. “Ok, guess I can try to help her. But if we don’t know where to look, I mean-“

Rogue stopped her. “ _We_ do. _**I**_ do.”

“Fine. Lemme hear what you know.”

”Rocky Ridge, ghost town just outside of Night City. Panam knows where. You’ll go there, get the merch back. Wheels, too. Naturally, you’ll call her first. Sendin’ you her detes.”   
  


Johnny groaned in the back. “Ugh, finall. Let’s get outta here.”   
  


V ignored him and stood up. “All clear, thanks.”   
  


Rogue sent her off. “Good luck.”

Now it was time to call the woman Panam. 

**Author's Note:**

> I might do more. I just feel like there was so much potential with Fem V and Panam.


End file.
